Gas compressor system



Jan. 1, 1957 H. WALTER GAS COMPRESSOR SYSTEM Filed Jan. 26, 1956COMPRESSOR T FIG. I W 22 22a- HEATER RE E3NER ATOR l7a. :\\25d' ll f 4TURB.

l- GAS ENGINE I50. l9

I3 25 O l4 j COMPRESSOR x FIG. 2

HELLMUTH WALTER United States Patent GAS GGMBRESSOR 'SYSTEM 'lHdllmuth.Walter, ,Upper v.Montclair, .N. J., assignor to WorthingtonCorporation, Harrison, N. 1., .a corporation ofDelaware:Application-v-Ianuary 26,;1956,'Serial :No. :561;590

TClaims. (Cl.'230116) "The :present :inveniion: relates to a natural gas--supply system and more particlarly to a gas compressor stationi'rin-wtheizsystem.

:dmainatural gas rsupplyrsystemstit is necessary to' pipe the gas overlong distances: firomttheifields where'it is-obetained toa theipoint'rofzuse, for example, to iindustries and 411011868: iinwtowns ;-and cities:farvfrom the tnatura'lgas field. .l'iAt.intervals-alongfithe'tgasrrpipe :line :compressor istations itare:providedxfor'increasing the-pressure 10f thelga s \in -.order-'i:to,pump it zto the :point ofause. .iIzhesoornpressorsdnwthese-mtations:are usually driven :by gas engines-supplied withgasfor .combustiondrom the :natural gas :pipe line itself.

-In the present invention aegas compressor.stationiiis ;.provided{having a ga-s rengine :compressor and ;.a gas. turbine :cornpressorcombined. therein to :form .1a.-'comp;osite gas. compressor system forincreasing the :pressure jnuthe -,-ga-s :pipe line iforidelivery to -theapoint of use,=which. system t, providesetlextihle control means for.maintainingthe :pressure desired-overa wide load range.

.Ihe; present.- :invention further providesyia :gas 1 engine.-.compressor:cyc1e fora gas 'pipe Jine havingia gasiturbine=.compressor :eycle incorporated itherein for :inoreasing the .power .ofthe gas compressor station [to provide-1a wide .loadrange therefor.

.ilThe 3131 656111; invention .also provides. a gas'tengine :com-..pressorstation ,fora .pipe line to maintain ithe desired gas pressure,in the pipelineat 10w load range,.-and= a -gaswtur- .bine :compressor-:cycle ,in communication rtherewithifor ;.boosting .the powersofthestation when-the loadudernand thereon increases. above normal demand.

The {present invention stillsfurther provides raggas .com-

.pressor station. having a :gas turbine.cornpressondor1 a.

.p'ipe line havingagas engine compressor-in communication therewith forjncreasingthe power thereof and-provinga wide load range for .thestation.

.Theinvention .will @be .betterunderstood fromntheiollowing descriptionwhen considered in connection with i the accompanying drawing formingaaupart thereof (and in which:

.Figure 1 iszdiagrammatic diagramof oneembodiment of the invention,.-andi "Figure2 is a digrammatic drawingofa modifiedform of the invention.

' Referring to Figure l, the reference numeral lflsdesignotes a gas pipe'linein communication. at oneendrthereof with a natural gas field, notshown,-and .at theother end thereof with a point of use,.not shown. :Agas .tur-

bine 11 connected to drive-a ,compressor12 :and agas engine13 connectedto drive a. compressor14 are ,provided for increasing. the pressure of.thegas in.1ine,10. Aiconduit 15 connected. at oneend to lineltlandatthe other end to compressor 12, and aflconduit 16 con- .nected atone endto conduit 15 and at the other-end to compressor 14 supplies .gas to 'becompressedeto the respective compressors. Valves 15a and 16a.are'disposed in conduits '15 and 16 respectively to control the 'flowotgas therethroug'h. Fuel gas to operate engine ,13 maybe suppliedbymeans, not-shown, -from gas line 10 if desired. -Fuel' gas to driveturbine 11 is supplied thereto by-conduit 17 having one end-thereof incommuncation with the turbine and -the 'otherendthereof in commun'ica"'tion with the discharge-conduit=18 'ofcompressor 12. A

throttle -valve*17a is disposed in conduit17. The compressed gasflowing'through conduit 18 is returned to pipe line '10 through thedischarge end-of conduit 18 :connected -to"line-1'0'downstreamof conduit15. Acontrol or shut-off valve 18a is disposed in conduit 18. 'Aturbinedischargeconduit 19 is connected 'at one end to the turbine andat the other end '"to compressor 14'to pass gas which has been expandedin 'turbine 11 to compres- --sor-14-for recornpressiontherelin. Adischarge conduit ZOhavinga-eontro'l valve20a therein is connectedtocom- =pressor 1-4 and'conduit 18 to pass gas recompressed incompressor' 14 back to line 10 through conduit 18. -A- heat =exc hanger'is disposed in inlet conduit 17 having 'he-ated fluid inlet and "outletlines *22 and 22a, 2O' respe'otive1-y, in communication therewith-torsupplying hea't 'from a source, not-shown, to pass in indirect-heatexchan-ge relationship with fuel gas flowing to the-turhine to supplyenergy t'o the gases for driving t'he'turlbine'i11. :A regenera'tor 23is provided in conduits T7 25'::and 19:ifor*passingthe exhaustgases fromturbine "-11 in heatrexchange relationship with "the fuel gas passing-rthrough :conduit'll.7 to' heatiexchanger 21 to preheat the -fgasesbefore theyiare introduced into the heater to utilizeattheiwaste'lheatzinithe iturbine exhaust gases. A cooler ihauingcooling 'fluidrinletand -:outl'et 'lines 25 and 2511, ,lrespectively,)in communication iherewith is disposed in vzconduitwwabetweenregenerator 23 and compressor- '14 'tfor. cooling :the exhaust gasesbefore they iare introduced iinto compressorrrlil. jlnsopera'tion,naturalagasjflowingzthroughzline 10 :from a natural gas field,notsshowmrpasses vtherefrom through -oonduit ;-1 5. Thereafter, aportion -of ithfi igasfifiows .,-through compressor J12 wherein .it iscompressed, .=and another; portioniflows through :conduits 1'6 .and F19.into 40 -\com pressor -14 rWherein it i is .compressed' to thepressurre{desired and -is discharged from compressor 14 :through \conduitsml and1 8, and-is.- returned 'to .pipe line 1-0.

:Tlihe portion ofigascompressedin compressor 12 is dis- ...chargedtherefrom through conduit 18 and .a portion 45. itl1ereof returned toline 10, while :another portion is separated t-herefromand dlows throughconduit 17 to turvbine l-l to drive the "turbine tconnecteditocompressor; 12. Before entering turbine 11 the gas is heatedinregenerator -.23,.extracting waste heat from' the exhaust gasesleaving:-.the,.turbineathrough discharge conduit 19. Thereafter, .theg-asespass into .heataexchanger ZL-where they FflOW in sheat exchangerelationship with heated fluid passing ,through the exchanger in conduit.22 "in communication with a source of external heat, not shown.Th'ereafter, the gases flow into turbine 11 andafter-expansionthere-.inetodri-ve flaeaturbi-ne-rand compressor 12 connected .thereto saredischarged. therefrom through conduit 19. The gases then-flowithroughiregenerator 23 to cooler124 wherein heat :is extracted from themthrough a cooling :-fluid :passed .through the acooler through :conduit25. Thereafter, :the.:gases :join -thejportion of gases fiowing-'*through =conduit "1 6and enter compressor '14 wherein 'they arerecompressed "to the pressure-desired, the compressor being driven "bygas engine 13.

When *the :load demand at the point of use decreases, V valve 15a inconduit-15 is closed. 'Va'lve'19ain conduit 19, and valve 18a in conduit'18 are also closed, and valvev 16a is maintained in an opened positionso that allo'ffthe gas 701 'from'line 10 fiows through conduits 15 and1610 compres- .sor 14 wherein the pressure is increased to that .desiredand the ,gasturbine compressor cycle .is completely by-passed.

' 3 Thus, the gas compressor station of the present invention may handlea wide load range.

In addition, the present invention provides flexible control of the loadrange for the gas compressor station by operating turbine 11 and gasengine 13 at various speeds to compress the gas pressure in line to thedesired value for the load demand required. This is accomplished bymaintaining valve 16a in a fully opened position and partially closingvalve 17a to throttle the volume of gas delivered to the turbine inlet,by reducing or increasing the speed of the gas engine, by means notshown, and by reducing or increasing the turbine inlet temperature byregulating the flow of heated fluid through the heat exchanger 21. Thus,the present invention provides flexible control means for a gascompressor station to meet the required load demand thereon.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2 is substantially thesame as illustrated in Figure 1, except that the turbine cycle is aclosed cycle and gas engine compressor 14 is the compressor for the gasturbine 11 under all load conditions. Gas turbine inlet conduit 26 isconnected to the discharge side of gas engine compressor 14, instead ofthe discharge conduit 18 of gas turbine compressor 12 as in Figure 1.There is no cross connection conduit 16 connecting gas supply conduitwith the inlet or suction of gas engine compressor 14, and compressor 14has no discharge conduit 20 as in Figure 1, in communication withdischarge conduit 18 which returns gas compressed in compressor 14 topipe line 10.

The operation is substantially the same as the embodiment of theinvention in Figure 1 except that gas is supplied to the closed turbinecycle inlet conduit 26 by means not shown, is expanded in turbine 11 todrive compressor 12 and is discharged therefrom through dischargeconduit 19 to compressor 14. Thereafter, the compressed gas is againrecycled to the turbine as the motive fluid therefor through inletconduit 26. Thus, the turbine driven compressor 12 is the pipe linecompressor under all conditions in this embodiment of the invention.

Provision of a closed cycle for the gas turbine 11 dri ing compressor 12enables the turbine to be operated independently of the pressure in thegas line 10 as the turbine does not receive its supply of gaseous fueltherefrom and hence is completely unaflected by the pressure therein. Ifdesired, the closed cycle turbine may also be actuated by a motive fluidother than natural gas. When natural gas is used to actuate the turbine,suflicient heat may be supplied to heater 21 to burn ofl or separateunstable gases from the gases being continuously recycled through theturbine. These separated gases are discharged from the cycle by leakage.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the form, location andmaterials used in the construction of and arrangement of the variousparts of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from theprinciples of the invention which is not to be limited except by thescope of the invented claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for a gas compressor station for increasing the pressure ofgas flowing through a pipe line comprising a first gas compressor, aturbine connected to said first compressor for driving it, a supplyconduit connected to said first compressor and pipe line for passing gastherethrough to the compressor, a discharge conduit connected to saidfirst compressor and said pipe line downstream of said supply conduitfor passing gas discharged from said first compressor therethrough backto said pipe line, a turbine inlet conduit connected to said turbine forsupplying gas thereto for driving the turbine, a heat exchanger disposedin said turbine inlet conduit, a heated fluid conduit in communicationwith said exchanger for passing fluid therethrough in heat exchangerelationship with gas flowing therethrough to the turbine, a secondcompressor, a gas engine connected to said compressor for driving it, anoutlet conduit connected to the turbine and said second compressor forpassing gas discharged from the turbine therethrough to the secondcompressor, a regenerator, said regenerator being in communication withsaid turbine inlet and outlet conduits for passing gas flowing to theturbine in heat exchange relationship therein with gas discharged fromsaid turbine, a cooler disposed in said turbine outlet conduit betweensaid regenerator and said second compressor, a cooling fluid conduit incommunication with said cooler for passing cooling fluid therethrough inheat exchange relationship with gas flowing therethrough to said secondcompressor, a compressor outlet conduit connected to said secondcompressor for flowing gas therethrough from said second compressor, andcontrol means for controlling the flow of gas to said first compressor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressor outlet conduitconnected to said second compressor is connected at the opposite endthereof to said turbine inlet conduit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressor outlet conduitconnected to said second compressor is in communication with said pipeline.

4. Apparatus for a gas compressor station for increasing the pressure ofgas flowing through a pipe line comprising a first gas compressor, aturbine connected to said first compressor for driving it, a supplyconduit connected to said first compressor and pipe line for passing gastherethrough to the compressor, a discharge conduit connected to saidfirst compressor and said pipe line downstream of said supply conduitfor passing gas discharged from said first compressor therethrough backto said pipe line, a turbine inlet conduit connected to said dischargeconduit and turbine for supplying gas thereto for driving the turbine, aheat exchanger disposed in said turbine inlet conduit, a heated fluidconduit in communication with said exchanger for passing heated fluidtherethrough in heat exchange relationship with gas flowing therethroughto the turbine, a second compressor, a gas engine connected to saidsecond compressor for driving it, an outlet conduit connected to theturbine and said second compressor for passing gas discharged from theturbine therethrough to the second compressor, a regenerator, saidregenerator being in communication with said turbine inlet and outletconduits for passing gas flowing to the turbine in heat exchangerelationship therein with gas discharged from said turbine, a coolerdisposed in said turbine outlet conduit between said regenerator andsaid second compressor, a cooling fluid conduit in communication withsaid cooler for passing cooling fluid therethrough in heat exchangerelationship with gas flowing therethrough to said second compressor, acompressor outlet conduit connected to said second compressor and incommunication with said pipe line downstream of said supply conduit forpassing gas discharged from the second compressor therethrough to saidpipe line, and control means for controlling the flow of gas to saidfirst and second compressors.

5. Apparatus for a gas compressor station for increasing the pressure ofgas flowing through a pipe line comprising a first gas compressor, aturbine connected to said first compressor for driving it, a supplyconduit connected to said first compressor and pipe line for passing gastherethrough to the compressor, a discharge conduit connected to saidfirst compressor and said pipe line downstream of said supply conduitfor passing gas discharged from said first compressor therethrough backto said pipe line, a turbine inlet conduit connected to said dischargeconduit and turbine for supplying gas thereto for driving the turbine, aheat exchanger disposed in said turbine inlet conduit, a heated fluidconduit in communication with said exchanger for passing heated fluidtherethrough in heat exchange relationship with gas flowing therethroughto the turbine, a second compressor, a gas engine connected to saidsecond compressor for driving it, an outlet conduit connected to theturbine and said second compressor for passing gas discharged from theturbine therethrough to the second compressor, a regenerator, saidregenerator being in communication with said turbine inlet and outletconduits for passing gas flowing to the turbine in heat exchangerelationship therein with gas discharged from said turbine, a coolerdisposed in said turbine outlet conduit between said regenerator andsaid second compressor, a cooling fluid conduit in communication withsaid cooler for passing cooling fluid therethrough in heat exchangerelationship with gas flowing therethrough to said second compressor,another supply conduit connected to said supply conduit and said outletconduit for passing gas therethrough to said second compressor, acompressor outlet conduit connected to said second compressor and saidfirst compressor discharge conduit for passing gas discharged from thesecond compressor therethrough to said discharge conduit, and controlmeans for controlling the flow of gas to said first and secondcompressors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said other supply conduit isconnected to said outlet conduit between said cooler and said secondcompressor inlet and said regenerator is in communication with theturbine inlet conduit between the inlet end thereof and said heatexchanger.

7. Apparatus for a gas compressor station for increasing the pressure ofgas flowing through a pipe line comprising a first gas compressor, aturbine connected to said first compressor for driving it, a supplyconduit connected to said first compressor and pipe line for passing gastherethrough to the compressor, a discharge conduit connected to saidfirst compressor and said pipe line downstream of said supply conduitfor passing gas discharged from said first compressor therethrough backto said pipe line, a turbine inlet conduit connected to said dischargeconduit and turbine for supplying gas thereto for driving the turbine, aheat exchanger disposed in said turbine inlet conduit, a heated fluidconduit in communication with said exchanger for passing heated fluidtherethrough in heat exchange relationship with gas flowing therethroughto the turbine, a second compressor, a gas engine connected to saidsecond compressor for driving it, an outlet conduit connected to theturbine and said second compressor for passing gas discharged from theturbine therethrough to the second compressor, a regenerator, saidregenerator being in communication with said turbine inlet and outletconduits for passing gas flowing to the turbine in heat exchangerelationship therein with gas discharged from said turbine, a coolerdisposed in said turbine outlet conduit between said regenerator andsaid second compressor, a cooling fluid conduit in communication withsaid cooler for passing cooling fluid therethrough in heat exchangerelationship with gas flowing therethrough to said second compress-or,another compressor outlet conduit connected to said second compressorand said first compressor discharge conduit for passing gas dischargedfrom the second compressor therethrough to said discharge conduit, andcontrol means for controlling the flow of gas to said first and secondcompressors.

No references cited.

